Google admits putting old UIDAI helpline number on phones

Google has admitted that it is to blame for the mysterious appearance of an outdated Aadhaar helpline number in the contact lists of phones, and clarified that it wasn’t an unauthorised breach of the Android devices. The US Internet major added that the issue would be fixed over the next few weeks.

“Our internal review has revealed that in 2014, the then UIDAI helpline number and the 112 distress helpline number were inadvertently coded into the SetUp wizard of the Android release given to OEMs for use in India and has remained there since. Since the numbers get listed on a user’s contact list these get transferred accordingly to the contacts on any new device,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement late Friday.

“We are sorry for any concern that this might have caused, and would like to assure everyone that this is not a situation of an unauthorised access of their Android devices,” the company added.

It said that users can manually delete the number from their devices. “We will work towards fixing this in an upcoming release of SetUp wizard which will be made available to OEMs over the next few weeks,” Google said.

Earlier in the day, the Unique Identification Authority of India, telecom operators and handset vendors said they had no role in the mysterious appearance of the Aadhaar helpline number. They were responding to a social media storm on Friday over the appearance of defunct UIDAI helpline number 1800-300-1947 on Android and some iOS devices, with many citizens fearing a breach of privacy amid the ongoing debate around the security of the Aadhaar system.

UIDAI, which manages the country’s Aadhaar project, said in a statement that it has not asked handset makers and telecom service providers to include its toll-free number on mobile phones. It clarified that the number 1800-300-1947 that showed up in the contact lists of some phones was an outdated and invalid helpline number. Some vested interests are trying to create unwarranted confusion, UIDAI had said.

Telecom operators denied any role in the matter. The inclusion of a certain unknown number in the phonebooks of various mobile handsets “is not from any telecom service provider,” the Cellular Operators Association of India said in a statement.

There is no mandate to handset makers from the government.

“UIDAI cannot in any case give us any mandate. The matter needs investigation,” said Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of the Indian Cellular Association, which represents major handset vendors. Apple didn’t respond to ET’s queries on the matter. Twitter users went into a tizzy after a post on Thursday by a French security expert who goes by the pseudonym Elliot Alderson and describes himself as UIDAI’s worst nightmare.

“Hi @UIDAI, Many people, with different provider, with and without an #Aadhaar card, with and without the mAadhaar app installed, noticed that your phone number is predefined in their contact list by default and so without their knowledge. Can you explain why?” Alderson’s tweet read.

A senior executive at a leading telecom service provider said such numbers can be added to phonebooks through SIM cards or over-the-air software patches.

“However, there has been no mandate from the UIDAI or the government and it is illogical on the handset companies’ part to do it together on their own,” the executive said. UIDAI said it has “not asked or communicated to any manufacturer or service provider for providing any such facility whatsoever.”